


10 Feet Apart

by GarbageFanfics



Series: 10 Miles Apart [1]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Anxiety, F/F, F/M, Family, Humor, Lesbian Disaster Adora (She-Ra), Medication, Romance, Shyness, Teens in love, Therapy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-27 08:33:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30120033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarbageFanfics/pseuds/GarbageFanfics
Summary: Being closer to a person isn't enough to improve personal communication.  While Adora tries to handle her ex-crush living at her house while Catra struggles to keep all her problems to herself in fear it will drive the people she loves away from them.  All while the two navigate being in a high school relationship that will change once college rolls around, these two disaster lesbians have to cope with changes neither were ready for.
Relationships: Adora & Bow & Glimmer & Mermista & Netossa & Perfuma & Sea Hawk & Spinnerella (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Angella/Micah (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra & Entrapta & Scorpia (She-Ra)
Series: 10 Miles Apart [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2216070
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

It’s a cold day at the beginning of October. The coldest day thus far this fall. Warming her Pontiac to drive over to her new residents. She is the first to leave her childhood home, her mother, and that _thing_ her mother calls a husband were finalizing the closing process on the house. While they finish ruining her childhood, she was off to live in the most awkward housing arrangement of her life. Her mom’s boss offered her a place to stay. Her only requirements were to remain in school and no drugs or alcohol. Like those were ever even a thing for her. She had to keep a brave face on. Her mom’s boss was also the mother of one of her best friends. A best friend who doesn’t even live at her own home full-time. The awkward small talk she once had with Angella for only a few minutes when waiting for Glimmer is now going to be an everyday thing. Micah’s corny dad humor is graining, but he was a better father than her own. The way he loved and respected his wife and daughters was something she never saw with her father Taj or Curtis. They didn’t have his charm or his capacity to love. Micah wasn’t the only person in that house with love to give. Adora was another sore point for her. While Glimmer was her other best friend, Adora was like the little sister she always wanted. Adora was a different kind of friend. The amount of kindness and fun they had together when they were younger was different from her other friendships. Their bond was special, and it was ruined by a misunderstanding. A drunken kiss on a dare ruined it all. Adora fell in love with her over something so trivia and she had no clue how to deal with it. It’s been five months since the incident and Adora hasn’t said a single word to her, and now she was off to live with her. It was going to bother her to know she will be avoided by her. It’s not fair. She never wanted to lose her friend, she lost her over something she couldn’t control. If she felt the same way, things could have been different. But since she didn’t feel the same way she was practically _ghosted_ by a person she thought would be a friend for life. 

She pulled into the drive-way of her new residents. A bigger home than what she was ever used to in a neighborhood far nicer than what she was used to. Her family home was across the street from income-based housing and a gas station. This home was in a suburban picture book paradise. Everyone was big green lawns, nice homes, and big yards. A big drive-way with one car already pulled out of the garage for the day. A black BMW that belonged to Dr. Angella M. Brighton. She was the one who was going to show me to my room. Angella was just as prim and proper as she would expect. She has always been incredibly kind to the whole family, the fact she was letting a friend of her daughter live with her just to make life easier on Mermista’s mom was an estimate to her generous soul. 

She greeted her “Mermista, dear, we’re so happy you’re here” she said in her posh voice. Walking over to her, she held out her arms for a hug. Mermista smiled at this and embraced her in return. _Good to be around a parent that has her shit together_. She bitterly thought. Why couldn’t her mother have worked harder in her career and made good choices like Angella? She doubts for a second Angella would have her daughters move out of their family home. _Or re-marry a looser._

“Thank you for letting me stay here,” Mermista said.

Angella smiled back “Of course sweetie, anything for you” 

This was not much of a house tour and more of being reacquainted to the guest bedroom. Right next to the first floor of the house. Next to the office and half-bathroom. She asked Mermista “Are you making a second trip to get more things?”

The young adult shook her head. “No, just clothes and my electronics, everything else that used to be mine is going towards the yard sale,” she said sharply. Throwing shade at her mother. She saw the discomfort in Angella’s expression. Most likely she was unaware there was a yard sale, and most likely she didn’t think Hannah and Curtis would sell things that once belonged to Mermista. To be fair, the second Mermista knew her family home was going away up for sale, she renounced many things that once were in her old room. She didn’t want her old dresser and vanity, due to it being a part of the things Curtis bought. Trying to deflect some of Mermista’s bitterness, Angella offered “Why don’t we go to the store later today and get you some things to make this room feel more your own?”

She smiled at her. 

Leaving Mermista to some privacy she peered around the familiar bedroom. A place she used to sleep in often during sleepovers. A faint lavender smell was emanating through the entire home. The bright white and grey room was not any of Mermista’s colors. It was something out of a Martha Stewart catalog. This pretty house was all a charity to her. Her mom, dad, and stupid ass stepdad couldn't give her anything, she was pawned off on the only functioning adult in her life. Her mom’s boss and the mom of her best friends. Looking down at her two suitcases and three duffle bags she felt the pain of her reality crash down on her, no posters, no swim trophies, and no bookcase of gossip magazines and swimming Olympic books were now all in a big box ready to be either sold, or trashed, along with her desk that she had her first kiss at, her bed, that she used to make forts out of, and her closet where she used to hide her mom’s Smirnoff bottle in was all gone. She flopped on the light grey duvet and cried softly, hoping Angella wouldn’t hear her.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

**Hannah:** How is she?

Angella saw the text and debated on what to tell her _She’s crying right now because she’s upset and overwhelmed and you calling her right now will only make her more upset._ She sighed and replied with a half-truth.

**Angella:** She’s unpacking right now. 

**Hannah:** Has she said anything about being upset?

**Angella:** To me she hasn’t.

That was technically true. Unknown to Mermista, her mother had told Angella about how badly Mermista took the news of the move and how badly her father reacted to the possibility of Mermista needing to move in with him. She went off on her mother, yelled at her, threw her purse at Curtis, and even called them “Fuck ups” for what was happening. Curtis couldn't help that his company was making his move, but she could get angry at the fact it was kept a secret. Her mom and Curtis worked two jobs, why didn’t Curtis get a second job when she lost his part-time job, why didn’t he help take care of the house better so the market value could have been higher, why did Hannah let it all happen? A daughter’s scorn was heartbreaking to them. The fact that Mermista told her step-father he was a loser and he was and how he ruined their lives. Her mom worked so hard to get that house after her father’s divorce and because Curtis was such a failure she had to lose it. 

This was not a comfortable position for Angella to be in. Having Hannah share such personal details worried her as she had no idea her second marriage was bad or that Mermista wasn’t fond of Curtis, nor did she had any idea as to her financial woes. As a woman who never had to worry about money in the past twenty-five years made it hard to imagine a teen being in the know about a parent's money problems. She felt relief that her daughters would never need to worry about wanting anything, but her heart went out to Mermista and her family, as they were in need and Angella was more mindful about how not to overstep boundaries could not do much for them. All she could do was house Mermista until her she was able to move out on her own. 

A new text notification lit up Angella’s phone in her hand. She saw her youngest daughter was texting her. The Baby showed up on her phone with a simple text.

**The Baby:** Is Mermista there yet?

Not pleased her daughter was texting during school hours retorted.

**Mommy:** Yes darling, Mermista is home with us now. Why do you have your phone out during school?

**The Baby:** you said I can for emergencies.

**Mommy:** this doesn’t count as one. Focus on class and I will pick you up when school is over.

No more text from Adora gave Angella some worry. Adora had once carried a sweet for Mermista. Meaning she had a massive crush that everyone was oblivious to until Adora confessed her love to her and got shot down at a Dunkin Donuts before the summer of this year. A painful moment to see in her daughter’s life. Her first heartbreak. 

Her heart became full again, when she reunited with Catra, originally an old friend, but something turned into puppy love. It was cute. By Catra’s actions, she could tell the Latina was smitten with Adora, to the point they had their euphemisms for when Adora’s autism made her unaware of missing a social cue and she says phrases for Adora to give her more insight into the situation. They call it “Missing the goal” or “off base” which Angella found adorable. As long as they don’t leave the _first base,_ she was fine.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++==

It was lunchtime in school for Adora and Catra. The two enjoyed chicken tenders in the art room. The two tend to become each other’s entire focus of the day. Originally Adora would eat in the senior lounge due to all the other kids she was used to being around were there. Only after Catra enrolled she stopped because Catra didn’t feel all the comfort in trying to make new friends. So, without a second thought, Adora decided to go wherever Catra wanted to go. They chose the art room near the main entrance. No teacher cared to question them as they walked into the room with their lunch trays as Adora was such a saint of a student, and Catra was the sympathy case. The two of them being friends was wholesome and nothing out of the ordinary. Unknown to them they were two lesbians who haven’t come out to anyone in school and spent at least a good five-minutes of each lunch period to make-out with each other. They were none the wiser to the hormonal teens than anyone else. Their usual awkward make-out session was cut short as Catra could sense Adora’s anxiety. 

“You worried about Mermista?” Catra asked. Her only knowledge of Mermista being her green hair that looks like crap and the fact she made Adora cry. She wasn’t too happy about the idea that she was going to be living with Adora. An ex-crush was not the same as an ex-lover, but it still didn’t sit well with her. This girl who didn’t deserve to be around Adora was going to be sharing a house, bathroom, and dishes with her, getting to sit and eat dinner with her. Hanging out with her parents. She didn’t like it. What if Mermista started to have feelings for Adora or become favored by Micah and Angella. She had to make sure nothing like that would happen.

Adora was more lost in the idea of how awkward it would all be. Her wanting to avoid Mermista at all costs. She told Catra “I’m afraid it’s going to be awkward.”

Catra offered “Well, text me when it does. I’ll give you an escape for when it does and maybe we can hang out more at my place. I have a little more privacy at my place than your place” Catra partially being selfish in her claim. She wanted Adora around her more, that was true, but even if Mermista wasn’t a potential obstacle, she would still want Adora around her more than anyone else. 

Due to Catra being a half-day student, she left soon after. Thinking to herself about what she would do for Adora. The situation seemed so tense for her. She knew Adora got stressed out easily and her routines would be all messed up because of this. She wanted to help in any way she could. Adora meant the world to her. She didn’t want her to stress out about anything. 

For Adora, Catra was right in all her sentiments. She was not looking forward to her home life now. The thought of needing to stay in her room or pretend to be busy was going to be a daunting task. By luck, her father picked her up and asked her if she wanted ice cream. This was his way of getting into a conversation. He probably wanted to talk to her about Mermista. Her father had been trying to do more with her since she accused him of playing favorites. Unknown to her how badly she hurt his feelings by doing so, he has made it a mission to spend more time with her, despite the teen ignoring most of his efforts. With Catra, she was more focused on girls; in particular, she was more focused on Catra. Making sure to keep her grades up, studying with Catra, and sneaking in some kissing time in between that. Micah was far from on her radar of people to focus on. 

He took them to their usual ice cream spot and sat in the car. He asked her “So, um, you know Mermista moved in today right?”

She nodded and didn’t bother to look as she replied “Yeah, I know. I’m going to be busy tonight. You know…. With homework and stuff”

His eyes narrowed at her as he questioned “So you’ll be too busy for dinner?”

She shrugged “Can I eat in my room?”

He answered without a second to think “No. You will not”

She groaned “Dad, I just don’t see why—”

He cut her off and explained “Sweetie, Mermista is going through a lot right now. We need to be supportive; I think after being friends with her for so long you would care”

“I do!” she defended.

He asked, “Then why do you still want to avoid her?”

She looked down at her ice cream and sighed “I dunno, I’m still embarrassed. I hate when everyone is in my business still about it. She stopped talking to me after it all happened too, so I don’t see why I need to try. It’s not like you’re going to force her to hang out with me, right?”

He frowned at her reasoning “Baby girl, I’m sorry. I know your first heartbreak wasn’t easy, it never is. You and Mermista were best buddies as little girls, I would hate for you to never have that friendship again.”

Adora turned to him sharply and replied, “Some people aren’t meant to be friends when they get older, dad.”

Micah gulped a little at her response. The _Mermista_ topic was still sore for her and she wasn’t letting it go. He started to wonder what will Adora do if she and Catra ever get into their first fight or eventually break up. If she couldn’t handle rejection at age seventeen, will she handle it at twenty or thirty? He didn’t know. 

So much for a nice ice cream break for the two to bond. Adora was reminded on her phone for the rest of the time. Micah frowned at her new attitude. As a little girl and preteen, she never acted like this. Her behavior was a reminder more of his little sister and he wasn’t too happy about that. Casta was an angsty gay teen and got into a lot of trouble due to her bad decisions, he wanted to make sure Adora wasn’t going to go down that path. 

Arriving home, Mermista wasn’t even there; which Adora just let out a sigh in relief. She headed up to her room to do homework. Patiently waited for Catra to text her during work to say Hi, and then proceeded to complain to Catra about how much she doesn’t want Mermista to be here.

**Adora:** If I said no, I wouldn’t be doing the right thing, but even saying yes, I feel like it still isn’t the right thing to do. I don’t want her here. It’s going to be awkward and things finally got normal here between my mom and me, and Mermista is now going to be a new factor of stress for me. What if she doesn’t like to be around me or my mom takes me to try and hang out with her?

**Catra:** Your mom can't force you to hang out with her, and besides you have homework and scholarship essays to focus on, you can hang out at my place and tell your mom you have to study or tutor me.

**Adora:** I can't do that every day.

Catra: She’s not going to be there in a single second of the day. Just work around her, avoid her, but don’t be a pussy. If your mom sees you uneasy, she’s going to make it awkward. Don’t let it get to that.

Catra felt pleased with her advice. Telling Adora to fake her discomfort and avoid Mermista seemed like the best thing to do for her situation. Not realizing her advice is terrible. Telling Adora to suppress her feelings and avoid conflict is something she had had to do her whole life. From Sue, the group home, and the shelter, she had avoided meaning girls, perverted guys, and uncomfortable situations. To her luck, she was an artist, and a student with good grades, she had an excuse to stay after school, hang out at the library, and go to art-related things. It kept her safe. She never felt safe in her own home before, until she moved in with Scorpia. Now she felt comfortable. She could have Adora come over and feel safe for herself and her. 

Adora felt Catra’s advice was perfect and she already had it planned out in her mind what she needed to do. First, get Mermista’s schedule and find out when she would be home, and second, what things she could do to keep herself out of the house when Mermista was home. 

Lucky for her Mermista was out with her mom still and she was able to squeeze some information out of dad. Too bad the information was not what she wanted to hear.

Her father explained she had morning classes and they would see each other every morning, and Mermista had a part-time job but didn’t say where. He knew what Adora was trying to pull and wasn’t going to take the bait. 

Adora was not too happy about this.

When her mother returned home from shopping with her ex-crush, she made her way to her room. Making sure to not be seen by them. Her idea was to hide until dinner. This was not what her mother had intended. She knocked on her door and told her that she will be busy with some paperwork and wants dinner was going to be early. 

Adora gulped and tried to set up a convincing lie “I have homework.”

Angella questioned her “Can you take a break?”

Adora didn’t feel it was appropriate to tell her mother she couldn’t. Angella doesn’t ask much of her, so her simple request should be met without hesitation. She nodded and meekly replied, “Sure, mom.”

Angella’s concerned look made it clear to Adora her mom knew what was going through her mind. Angella extended out her arms for an embrace and told her “I am very proud of you, Thank you for all your doing.”

_Doing what?_ Adora wasn’t doing anything for anyone. She was the one who wanted to avoid Mermista, why is her mom thanking her for doing the minimal effort?

She smiled at her mother. It was like Angella knew Adora’s inner workings. She knew her daughter’s discomfort and how to communicate with these issues better now. 

Adora and she went downstairs and Adora; for the first time in months talked to Mermista. Waving to her award. Receiving an awkward wave back. The girls were briefed by Micah “We’re having Chinese food tonight, pumpkin” Adora internally cringed as he referred to her by her childhood nickname She is seventeen, she didn’t want Mermista to know she was still called that by her father at this age. 

Mermista just glanced over at her and the two adults felt the uneasy tension. As Micah took out the food sitting adjustment to his wife, it left the girls to sit across from one another on the other sides of the table. The last thing Adora wanted to do was look at Mermista while she ate. Angella gestured for Adora to sit down as Micah handed her dinner. The plastic container of fried rice and chicken fingers. Adora’s favorite. Mermista sat across from her. Feeling the tension, the silent awkward tension, and couldn’t take it. She looked to Angella and asked in a meek and defeated tone and almost pleaded as she asked “C-can I go back to the room for a minute? I’m not all that hungry right now.”

Angella looked worried at her, but of course, she allowed it. “Go ahead love,”

Mermista left. One district glance at Adora and it was clear that the blonde was relieved to see her go. This hurt Mermista a million times more than when they first stopped talking in the first place. It wasn’t like she could cry out loud or anything, due to the guestroom being so close to the kitchen anyway. 

Adora being was unphased and went to eat as nothing had happened. Receiving a disappointed look from both her parents. Angella gave her husband a worried look. Not wanting to scold or push Adora, but also not wanting Adora to find acting so cold to Mermista was acceptable. Micah on the other hand has had enough of Adora’s shit. Holding back on their thoughts to keep her happy was doing her no favors. He cleared his throat loudly to get Adora’s attention. When he did, he says she looked nervous.

He asked her outright “Is having family dinners going to be a problem?”

Adora looked down at her food and defended “I didn’t say anything.”

He remarked “That’s the problem. We all usually talk about our day. You're telling me you're just going to not talk anymore?”

Angella didn’t want to make Adora retreat into her thoughts like before and intervened and requested “Maybe we should just not….” she didn’t know what to say. Give in and just say no more family dinners went against her values. She wanted to find a fairground for everyone but couldn’t find the right things to say. She didn’t want to parent the way she used to. She didn’t want Adora to hate her. Micah didn’t see it like that. He didn’t want Adora to grow up and lack empathy. Autistic people can have empathy and remorse and know right from wrong. Micah was not going to allow Adora to be a brat and treat someone in need like that are unwelcomed. He asked his wife “Not what? Not have family dinners. I don’t want that” he coldly remarked. Giving Adora a disappointed look he asked her “Do you think she deserves the silent treatment? She’s going through a lot right now and she needs to be around supportive people. I’m sure your too good a friend to make her feel bad, right?”

Angella was fearing that his words were too harsh for Adora to handle. In teen angst fashion. Adora stood up. Pushed her food away and declared “We’re not friends anymore” and walked off. 

He wanted to scold her but saw the desperate look of his wife. She didn’t want this to escalate. So, he didn’t. 

She went upstairs, still hungry, she just sat in her room. Angry. She didn’t want Mermista around. She didn’t. Mermista and her couldn’t be friends after what happened. Mermista used her. She can’t forgive that. All the memories flooded back to her. When Mermista was getting ready for college Adora offered to help her with scholarship essays and homework. Going as far as to spend hours of her own time on Mermista’s stuff. Just to get her to smile at her. Just to feel like she was a good friend and possible love interest. Mermista led her on. Kissing her and that party. Passionately, then telling her it was all good between them. Sleeping in the same bed during sleepovers to get Adora’s hormones ablaze, changing in front of her, letting her hold her hand during scary movies and stuff. They were once so close. It was all nothing to Mermista. The fact that she was so flippant and laughed at her during her confession proved to Adora that Mermista was not nearly as good a friend to her as she assumed her to be. It was clear as day to her. Mermista was never her friend. Glimmer’s and Perfuma’s, yes. But not her friend. That realization embarrassed and angered Adora and she wanted nothing to do with Mermista. 

For Mermista it was different she softly cried into her pillow hating everything about today. Angella was being so nice to her, so was Micah, but Adora was lost to her. It broke her heart. One of her dearest best friends hated her and she never got over it. Adora and she were close in a way Glimmer and Perfuma never were. Adora was smart and willing to help her with anything no matter what it was. Mermista as a child had night terrors and wore pull-ups to bed until age ten, just like Adora. The two would share a bed during sleepovers and both knew about each other's secret bedwetting problems. Adora was like a sister to her. A sister that loved her unconditionally. Without her, she felt heartbroken. Somethings only Adora would understand were gone now. She lost her best friend over one stupid kiss. She couldn't believe a kiss could ruin a friendship. She loved Adora, just not romantically. Adora and she were so socially awkward that she didn’t have the charm Adora had. Adora always made her feel like the coolest girl in the room, and for her to just ghost her without a second thought hurt her. Glimmer and Perfuma could never relate to that friendship. They didn’t know what they had, and it was gone. 

Her Adora was gone. 

She heard a knock on the door and lifted her head to answer “Yes?”

Angella came in and with that Mermista jumped up and hugged her. Finally breaking into sobs in front of her. As much as she hated to show emotion. She couldn’t stop herself from crying. This was all so much. 

Angella held her close letting the young adult cry. Not interrupting her or saying anything. Just let the girl cry like she needed to. When Mermista tried to cry to her mother, Hannah couldn’t handle it. Asking her to stop or pleading with her daughter to not be upset. Her parents were bad with emotions. But, Angella let her cry. She wished she could have had Angella for a mother. Angella loved her children, her husband, and had her life together. Why couldn’t she have that?

After the sobs ended Angella told her “We love you. We are here for you. I’m so sorry about Adora, I want things to be alright again, but she’s going to need more time. You know you are welcomed here no matter what, right?”

Mermista nodded.

Angella asked her “Is there anything else going on that you want to talk about? I won't tell your parents anything unless it’s life-threatening.”

Mermista laughed a little at that. Angella was a good mom, defiantly not a cool one, but she trusted her. Angella in all the time she has known her knew that Angella was honest and far from fake. She unloaded her feelings onto her. Telling her about being mad at her parents, confirming all that Angella already knew from Hannah. Telling her things even Hannah didn’t know about, like the fact she just had a bad breakup, and someone she liked in high school is dating someone else and she felt she had missed a chance to be happy. The school was fine, but she is conflicted between following her father’s advice and joining the Navy or staying in school and trying to get a career after college. Her father has her scared for the future and her mother has her scared for the present. She feels left to her own with worrying about bills, school, a job, and soon, finding a place and getting a career. 

Angella assured her “We will support you; we will do everything we can for you. I know your cross with your mother, please know that mothers try their best and we all can’t make things perfect. She tries, and she does love you, being away from you does hurt her, you know that.”

Mermista nodded “I don’t want her to leave.”

Angella hugged her again “no one does.”

Mermista nodded and returned the embrace “I feel like I’m messing up.”

“You not”

Mermista stopped feeling the urge to cry and asked “What do you think is going to happen now? With Adora and stuff?”

This was the first time Mermista ever addressed the situation last summer. Mermista dreaded Angella knowing. She knew her mom knew too, her mother scolded her for kissing Adora. Telling her that _Adora is too sensitive to take it as a platonic_. Ironically none of the parents cared that they were having a drinking party. She always feared Angella hated her. God knows what Angella thought of her after details got out that it was a spin the bottle and seven-minutes in Heaven kind of deal. She worried Angella thought she copped a feel on Adora. Instead, it looked like Angella found the situation awkward, but she wasn’t pointing fingers at who is at fault. Mermista worried that she would be accused of doing something wrong. She always feared. 

Angella paused for a moment before explaining what she thinks will be next “I think you and her need to talk about what transpired months ago and try to move past it. Neither of you wants to not speak to one another, I feel it is time for you two to try to speak in person, for real. _No texts_. Just be forward. Give it a little more time”.

She patted Mermista’s back. 

Leaving her room, she calmly made her way upstairs to speak with Adora. In her mind, she wanted to be calm and collected, but in her mind, she was livid with Adora’s coldness. 

Opening the door, she saw Adora on her computer. She received a glare from the teen. In Angella’s best attempt to not scold Adora she chastised her the softest way she could “Adora, you know she has been going through a lot right now. I want you to try and reach out and be a good friend.”

Adora turned to her angrily and questioned “Aren’t I by now speaking to her?”

Her mother’s eyes narrowed at her in disappointment. “No, that is not, and you know that. Adora is there anything you want to talk about?”

Adora looked down.

Angella closed the door behind her and sat on Adora’s bed. Her daughter looking sad as she answered “It’s still embarrassing to be around her. I keep thinking about what happened…. I can’t pretend it didn’t happen. It’s just so awful,”

Angella felt guilty over the whole ordeal. She knew she overstepped boundaries in the past and wanted to make up for it. She couldn’t help but feel the embarrassment Adora felt was partly her fault. She was the one who panicked and called Micah, Casta, and Hannah over the whole thing. At work, she freaked out about how the rejection affected her mental state. As a mother, her fears took over and she only wanted to do what was best for her. Instead, she made more drama and furthered her embarrassment. She wanted to make it all right for her daughter, but there are limits to what a mother can do for a teenager. At least, Adora was talking to her. It wasn’t too long ago where Adora wouldn’t say anything to her. She couldn’t afford to have Adora stop talking to her again. It crushed her last time.

She hugged her and told her “Everything is going to be okay. Just, please, try and talk to her, don’t be cold to her.”

Adora nodded and hugged her mother tightly. 

Angella could feel how sad this made Adora. She wished something could make this all better now. 

She left her room and headed downstairs to see Mermista had her purse in hand. Looking up at the parental figure she nervously said “Ummm… I’m going to go out with friends…”

Angella looked at the clock and saw it was almost ten. This situation screamed party. She didn’t want to overstep a boundary with Mermista, so she replied with an equal comfortable “Okay…. Um….I know this is not my place to ask, but are you going to be underage drinking?”

Mermista tensed and averted her eyes “I, um, I am going to a meetup, but I don’t, uh,”

Angella just nervously waved her hands “I’m just asking. P-please doesn’t drink and drive. Call me if something goes wrong. I won’t tell your mother unless there is a medical emergency.”

Mermista awkwardly thanked Angella.

Only for Angella to make things more awkward by asking “Do you need pepper spray, flashlight, emergency flares?”

Mermista laughed and replied, “I’m going to Sebastian Seahawk’s house….”

Angella raised a brow “Isn’t that the young bloke who—”

“Parents own the pirate tour boat. Yeah…. he’s throwing a party at his parents’ house tonight.”

Before more awkward dialogue could be exchanged, Mermista thanked her and left. 

Driving out she felt such a massive sense of unease. The feeling of leaving their house and going off to a party. Her only reason for wanting to go was to see Sebastian. Once she went to college, she barely talked to him after. This invite wasn’t even from him directly, but a mutual friend. Mermista gulped and felt nervous. She _liked_ him. She likes Sebastian Seahawk. He asked her out before the senior year was over. She turned him down. Thinking she could find someone else at college. In reality, she hated the guys at her school and Seahawk was the nicest guy she knew, the goofiest, sweetest guy she knew, and she turned him down. She regretted it so much and she wanted to see if tonight was going to be the night to change it all around. She might have a bad relationship with her mom, dad, stepdad, and Adora, but Seahawk could be the one to turn it all around for her. 

She thought the address was wrong at first. If it was a boat party, then shouldn’t it be by the harbor. Instead, it was the pirate tour boat one a flatbed parked on the side of Seahawks house. Turns out, parking fees for boat off-season it too costly, so his parents just got it lifted out of the harbor and towed it to their address. Lucky for Seahawk, he has no neighbors to complain about this party. Parallel parking on the grass next to six other cars, Mermista walked over to hear thumping music and some chattering. Two girls from her old high school walked past her and didn’t say anything. Once she got to the backyard, she saw insanity that was a Seahawk house party. The back yard was littered with beaded necklaces, plastic pirate coins, and about fifty inflatable fake pirate swords. Several people ran past her to get to a plastic picnic table that had some soda and beer and a few questionable bags of opened chips. 

She kept looking around to see if she could catch Sebastian. All she wanted to do was lock eyes with him and hope he would be as nice as he was when they were in school together, she hoped the several months apart didn’t change him too much. 

She peeked over and saw several people climbing down a robe later from the boat. She looked up and decided to climb up. The boat felt wobbly as she went up the latter. Getting up into the boat she saw several people onboard. Looking around she saw him. In the past few months, he was able to grow out his mustache and he was dressed up like a pirate. With headband and costume overcoat and no shirt under, he did look cool. Dorky, but cool. 

She wanted to approach and speak to him. All her muscles felt tense as she just stood over by the rope ladder and saw two girls on each of his arms. Watching mix drinks. The second her legs felt like moving she saw a girl with red hair cup his face and kiss him on the lips. He held no protest to this and was kissing her right back. It wasn’t a make-out session, but an affectionate kiss, as if they were a couple. 

She felt her legs go cold and numb as she made her way back down the rope ladder. Not wanting to see more or be seen by him. 

She left in a hurry and took no part in anything going on. Rushing to her car she left the house and made it back to the main road. After weeks of battling the stress of family and school, and now knowing Sebastian is over her, she cried. Ugly cried. She cried the whole drive back to the house. Hoping no one was awake. She made it to her room to cry. Sniffling and taking off her clothes to slip into pajamas. She looked in the vanity mirror to see her make out was all smeared. She needed to wash her face. Leaving the comforts of her bedroom to go to the bathroom she began to wash her face. Leaving any trace of her crying to be washed away from anyone knowing. She wishes she had someone to talk to. Glimmer was probably asleep, so was Perfuma. She left the bathroom and was startled to see Adora sitting at the kitchen table eating…..s’mores? she was making s’mores at midnight?

The two gave each other an awkward stare before Mermista turned to go back to her room.

“Are you okay?” Adora asked. 

Mermista turned to her, surprised that Adora was even talking to her. She looked down and replied, “It’s not been a good night” she answers quietly. Not wanting to wake anyone up. Adora asked, “Do you want a s’more?”

Mermista shrugged. “Yeah, sure?”

Adora handed her a semi-hot s’more she just made. 

Mermista asked her “How did you even make these?”

Adora pointed to the gas stove “I just used the stove and one of dad’s kabob sticks. It’s like a campfire toasted marshmallow.”

She smiled and asked, “Remember when we all went camping when we were twelve?” Mermista remembered the sweet nostalgic moment from when they were kids. Micah rented an RV and they went out to a campsite with a lake, fire pits, and they grilled outside and went jet-skiing. 

Adora smiled at remembering that time “We had s’more every night and dad drove us down to take us to that fake rodeo place with the mechanical bull”

Mermsita chuckled “Did your mom yell at him?”

Adora laughed “Yeah after he fell out off for the fifth time”

The two sat in silence for a quick second before Mermista remembered “Wasn’t Glimmer grounded or something?”

Adora nodded “Yeah, before vacation, mom caught her stuffing her bra and grounded her. She still got to go, but she didn’t have her phone and she had to help mom with all the cleaning.”

“She still got to do everything with us, right?” Mermista asked.

“Yeah, but once we got home, she had to stay in for the last two days of vacation” Adora confirmed.

They laughed a little at that. Glimmer was always the one to get into trouble. Mermista was too. 

Adora asked her “Do you remembered when we used to have snacks at night when everyone was asleep during sleepovers?”

Mermista beamed. “Your mom would always put away snacks for us because she knew we would always sneak out of bed.”

They both smiled at each other for a second, before Adora averted her eyes away for a second in discomfort. She forgot how comfortable she was with Mermista. She did miss this. It bothered her that she had been missing this for so long. She would be able to talk to Mermista was hours and they would have such a good time. 

The green-haired girl asked her in a sly voice. Trying to get back to a sense of normalcy with her. “So, I hear you have a girlfriend now?” Mermista teased. 

Adora sheepishly smiled and glanced down at her plate. Talking about Catra always made her a little shy. They were so new to the whole dating thing. It felt a little embarrassing to talk about each other. Adora had caught herself gushing about Catra to her mom and Aunt Casta a few times and felt a little embarrassed afterward. Glimmer is never around, so she would usually talk to Glimmer about everything on her mind. Without Glimmer, she wondered if Mermista could be someone she could talk to again? It never stopped her before. Things felt so weird to just try and pick things up like nothing ever happened.

She just nodded “Yeah, I’m dating now.”

Mermista asked, “How did you and her start dating?”

Adora gave another short and vague answer “We just sorta…. Asked each other”

“Oh,” Mermista said. Figuring out that Adora was not ready to talk much to her. A silence came over them again, and Adora got up to leave with only saying “good night” and that was it. 

Mermista just looked down at her half-eaten s’more.

Everything was far from what it used to be, and it killed her. Her closest friends were all in different colleges and the one friend she was closest with, was now completely emotionally cut off. All the things she was going through couldn’t be vented or explained to anyone. She threw out her s’more and went back to her room. Too tired to cry she just crashed on the bed and drifted off to sleep. The day was long and tiring and there was no room left to dream. Even if she could it wouldn’t be worth it. She didn’t want an escape from reality, she wanted a solution for all her problems, and how to fix the things should not control, like her mother, father, and still, Adora……


	2. Chapter 2

It was Saturday! And this was perfect was Adora’s girlfriend's schedule. 

Adora had a Catra-time schedule.

Monday—Eat with Catra only at school

Tuesday— Lunch school and 9am after night classes. (goodnight kisses)

Wednesday—no Catra at all

Thursday—Lunch school and 9am after night classes. (goodnight kisses)

Friday—no Catra at all

Saturday—Catra after 1pm

Sunday—???? Sometimes Catra, sometimes not

Looking at the little journal she frowned at how little time she had with her. Catra has been super busy with night classes, work, and going to school for half days. She isn’t as available for Adora as she would like. Adora does not like to be alone in the slightest. Going from being someone who was surrounded by her sister and friends all the time to now, only seeing her sister in small doses was not good for Adora, Catra helps but, Catra’s time with her is limited. 

After getting ready for the day, she made herself some cereal and worked on some last-minute homework before going out. She was able to avoid Mermista all morning and didn’t have to worry about her parents, since they were out running errands. Her conversation with her was nice, but not enough to make her want to try and talk to her again. She was starting to think her avoidance was getting to be too petty. Last night was so comfortable, it felt like she could just be normal with her again, but she didn’t know how to go about that. The two of them barely talked about what happened between them. She didn’t want to bring up old wounds and embarrass herself. The way things are for now is fine. Now, she had her day to plan with Catra. She knew she wanted to make today a special one. They had so much caught up to do and so many things they missed out on because of being separated for so long. They missed going to movies and playing with one another. It sounds a little weird to say playing when you’re a teenager, but for them it made sense. The two were both on first base so spending a day in the back yard—two seventeen-year-old girls—playing with plastic toy swords or watching a Pixar movie was not uncommon for them. 

Today for them would be no different. After work, Catra would get picked up by Adora and she would go to unwind, have fun, do stuff that she hasn’t done in years. Act like a kid and do normal teen stuff. Get McDonald’s and watch funny internet videos. She loved how relaxed she could be around Adora. 

Their relationship was soft and sweet and Catra loved it. She could easily be herself around Adora. A day of literally playing lightsabers in the backyard and then swinging on Adora’s massive hammock swing was fun to her. 

For Adora, this was what a real relationship must be like. Her parents were the only couple she had exposure to and how they acted was loving and sweet to one another. The two never disrespected one another in front of the girls and dad was always one to be sweet and respectful to mom, her parents were the picture-perfect couple. 

Thoughts aside Catra and Adora’s day together went as perfectly as she planned. 

She pulled up in front of the restaurant to get Catra, they exchanged a quick peck on the lips, Adora complimented that Catra looked pretty, Catra would roll her eyes and deny it and they would head off to McDonald's. Adora paid for the meal and the two sat down and talked about how their weekend has gone so far. 

Catra seemed a little stressed “I thought I was on State medical this whole time and I was also set for medications and stuff, but it turns out I was on Sue’s medical insurance and she took me off a month ago, so when I went to get my prescriptions they said I owed full price”

Adora questioned “What do you mean? What kind of meds are they?”

Catra shrugged uncomfortably “They are for my mood…. And my behavioral stuff…… I got diagnosed with Oppositional defiant disorder and Borderline personality disorder when I was eight. It sucks since ODD and BPD messes with all my social interactions, and before I moved out of Sue’s house, they tried to get me on four more meds, but it never fell through.”

Adora frowned “Are you worried you still need them?”

Catra focused her eyes down to her fries “Kind of…. I know how I was off them when I was twelve. Sue took my meds away from me for two months and I punch a hole through a wall in school and got into six fights until she gave them back to me.”

Adora tries to push back some bad memories. She knew Sue was cruel to Catra as small children and in her absence, she only got crueler to her as time went on. She moved her hand over to touch Catra’s. “I’m so sorry you went through all that with her, but she’s not around anymore and you can be happier now.” Her calm assuring voice gave Catra relief. Adora was here for her and she could rely on and trust her. 

After they finished eating, they went back to the car and Adora sweetly opened the door for her. Catra couldn’t help but feel butterflies at this. When she is down, Adora knows how to cheer her up. Adora decided it would be fun to play lightsabers outside in the backyard. Adora attempted to swing two red sabers around to be cool. Bonking herself in the head when trying to flip them over her head. Catra laughed at this. Adora rubbed her head and reminded her “Hey, I do fence! I can handle swords.”

Catra playfully retorted “Good thing fencing swords aren’t sharp and these lightsabers are fake.”

The two then charged towards each other to class plastic sticks at each other again. Giggling and fall over again, the two were blissfully in their world. Unknown to them that they had onlookers watching them through the sliding door windows to the backyard. Being so engulfed in their playing around they didn’t hear any cars pulling up into the driveway; if they did, they would have stopped. Glimmer was home for a surprise visit, with her came to Perfuma, and the three talked amongst one another while the only other adult females in the house pretended to be Jedi outside. Mermista had her eyes fixed on Catra. Her only a few run-ins with the fiery Latina were when Catra would crash a few high schools and college parties and sell overpriced booze to people. Mermista, herself included. Catra sold her a bottle of Patron for sixty dollars once. Begrudgingly she paid it. She couldn’t see someone who always had a permanent scowl and such an attitude being smitten with Adora. Her former blonde friend deserved a nice girl. Adora always seemed so shy when it came to pining. When Adora pined for her it was sweet. She would get flustered and shy around Mermista sometimes. In her mind, Mermista knew Adora was gay since they were thirteen and never said anything due to not wanting to offend anyone. She secretly figured that Adora would date someone super dorky in college or something. Maybe another autistic. Catra was far from what she expected Adora to go for. Catra was pretty, but her personality was something unfitting for a sweet-tempered person like Adora. How can a girl who doesn’t use curses date, someone who swears, drinks underage, steals, gets into fights, and commits petty crimes, like breaking? It baffles her how Angella and Micah could be so cool with Catra around their _baby girl_ when Glimmer couldn’t even date a boy with a nose ring in high school. 

Her attention was taken away as Perfuma started to gush about dating Scorpia and how she regretted not dating her sooner and why she never thought to talk to her before, despite knowing one another through school for years. 

The two friends smiled at their now beaming and flushed friend talk all about her. Mermista thought for a moment how Scorpia would have been a better pick for Adora. Both were socially awkward, it’s a wonder that they weren’t super close, Scorpia was the type of girl who would like plastic toy swords. Then she frowned at her thought. Perfuma was happy with her girlfriend and all she could think about was herself and what she thought was right. Why was she so hung up on others dating she didn’t even really care about if they were happy, just why they were dating and who they were dating. Glimmer picked up on this look. Knowing all too well that Mermista had a lot of stuff going on right now and Perfuma’s wave of personal happiness was not making her feel any better. 

Perfume slowly picked up on this too and stopped herself. Covering her mouth she apologized “Oh, Mermista I’m so sorry, I completely spaced out for a minute and forgot all about…..” she uncovered her mouth knowing not to finish that sentence. 

Mermista just looked down at her drink and sighed “You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s me. All the stuff with my parents and now that Seahawk is dating some other girl, I’m just really down about it”

Her two friends gasped.

Glimmer put her arm around her “Oh no, did he tell you that before or after you asked him out?”

Mermista sulked “I didn’t even ask him” she let her head rest on the table as she buried herself in her arms “I didn’t even say anything to him, I don’t even think he knew I was there! I just saw a girl kiss him and I just left.”

Perfume moved from her chair to walk over and hug her friend. Mermista kept her cool. Desperate to cry again, she was able to stop herself. She straightens herself up as she wiped her eyes and tried to keep a brave face in front of her friends. 

Both girls looked saddened by this revelation. 

A boyfriend would have taken her mind off things, with Sebastian being in a relationship, it must be more upsetting that it is one more thing that isn’t going her way. 

Their comfort session ended the second Catra and Adora came in from the backyard. Catra was taken back by the potential onlookers to her and Adora playing and felt embarrassed. With her chemical imbalance of being on less medication, she was trying her hardest not to lash out at anyone and make it clear she felt uncomfortable by the fact these three college girls most likely saw them goofing around and probably were making fun of them. Catra shot them all a look as Adora blissfully unaware made her way over to the fridge. Glimmer couldn’t help but glare right back at Catra. She couldn’t stop herself from being worried about Adora. This girl had a bad side to her, and she was just waiting for it to show. She wanted to hold Catra accountable for Adora’s attitude towards Mermista. Her mom told her exactly what Adora said at dinner last night and it made her angry to no end that Adora could be so selfish to a friend. At this point, she was done with Adora’s attitude too. _We get it. Mermista friend-zoned you. That doesn’t give you the right to treat her like she doesn’t exist anymore._

The two made their way upstairs to Adora’s room. As per house rules, the door was to remain unlocked. This wasn’t an issue as neither girl was up to anything that would be deemed questionable. Unwinding the two just laid on the bed next to each other and cuddled on top of the blankets as they watched TV. Catra was on her side. Adora was on her back. One of Catra’s legs swung over Adora’s and her head was practically on Adora’s left boob. Her arms stretched over Adora’s torso gave the blonde a bit of peak of Catra’s cleavage through the black tank top and matching black bra Catra had on. She took off her button-up top when she got to lay down next to Adora, and Adora did the same. The hormones kicked in and Adora realized that they were two girls. Pretty girls, that had their bodies close together in an intimate cuddle, and the only thing stopping them from having more skin touch was their tops and their skinny jeans. The naughty thought made Adora look guiltily over to her closed door. Here she was peaking down her girlfriend’s shirt while Catra was just sweetly cuddling her. Little to her knowledge, Catra was mesmerized by Adora’s tonearms and potential abs. Her hand across Adora’s abdomen made her imagine what Adora’s tone stomach might look like. It didn’t help her that Adora’s strong arm was around her. _Leave it to a jock girl to be ripped._ She pretended to be resting her eyes as she felt Adora stare at her. _Please don’t tell me she can tell I’m into this._

She would not dare open her eyes and see where Adora was staring at. In a faux movement of slumber, she pretended to move over to her back, sliding her leg and arm off Adora subtly. The blonde pouted as her warmth was taken away the second Catra moved. The Latina still felt Adora’s gaze on her. She fluttered her eyes open to face Adora and smiled at her. Adora unable to catch her glance in time smile sheepishly at her. _I hope she didn’t catch me looking at her chest._

Catra followed her line of vision and figured out that Adora was staring a little lower than where her neckline was and smirked at her. Internally she was beaming as this felt like the first time Adora was checking her out. Adora was not shy to give her compliments, but Adora had never been caught staring at her in a romantic way like this. She sat up and puckered her lips for a kiss. The blonde pressed her lips to hers and they shared a tender peck. Adora smiled during the kiss and pulled away and giggled “Your lips taste like candy” referring to Catra’s cherry candy lip gloss. A statement so bold made Catra feel the blood rush to her ears. _Leave it to Adora to be all mushy._

Bashfully tucking some loose brown hair behind her ear, she played off her flustered state and replied “Thanks, it’s some of my new lip gloss. We got a sample kit in beauty school last night, so I was trying it out.”

Adora asked, “What other flavors do you have?”

Catra leaned over and grabbed her bag off the floor next to the bed and answered “I think I got a mocha one, I have a strawberry one, and a bubblegum one…. There all for contrasting colors. They just happen to taste good,” licking her lips as she finishes explaining. The blonde fixated her gaze on Catra’s lips and asked, “Want to try some?”

Catra replied “I already tried them all. You want to try them on your lips?”

Adora flubbed her execution on what she wanted to say. What she should have said was something more flirty like:

_You should try some more flavors on me._

or

_I wouldn’t mind kissing you with different flavors._

Something better than her actual thoughts screaming:

_HEY, I WANT TO KISS MORE! Like! A whole commercial's worth of kissing time! I wanna smooch you until the ending credit’s role!_

Adora gave another awkward smile to Catra to hopefully avoid any further embarrassment. The brown-haired girl knew Adora was having a hard time articulating what she wanted to say and didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable. She knew when Adora got nervous she would info dump and she didn’t want Adora to say anything that would make her feel embarrassed. Instead, Catra inched closer to her on the bed and holds up two of her other lip glosses “You wanna try some?”

Defeated by her inability to speak Adora nodded and Catra recommended “Bubblegum is bright, and I think it would go good with your complexion.”

Adora nodded and then puckered her lips. Catra chucked “Relax your lips so I can apply it”

Adora felt uneasy. The tickling sensation of the lip gloss brush against her lips gave her goosebumps. Once it was finished being applied Catra kept her focus on Adora’s pale pink lips. The blonde caught this and found the confidence to flirtatiously suggest “Wanna make cherry-bubblegum?” inching closer. Proud of herself for this bold move. Even prouder seeing the flustered smile on Catra’s face. The two pressed their lips together for another shy kiss. Pulling apart quickly when they heard the sound of someone coming up the stairs. 

Without warning, Angella opened the bedroom door seeing Catra and Adora sitting on the bed with Catra having lip gloss in hand. _Aww, she’s getting my little girl into makeup, how cute._ Catra looked guilty as she lowers her arms to hide the lip gloss. The door closed policy came with the downside of her parents refusing to knock. If Angella was quieter she would have seen them making cherry-bubblegum. Angella’s seen them kiss before and knows they do. That doesn’t make it less embarrassing. 

The mother smiled at the two and asked, “Dinner is ready girls,”

Catra sat up “Oh, umm, I should go then” avoiding eye contact with Angella. Without being fully medicated she felt more anxious and afraid to look bad in front of her girlfriend’s mother. In her deepest thoughts, she figured Angella must hate her. Angella didn’t like her at first, she’s only being nice to make Adora happy. If she had it her way, she would have Adora break up with her. Angella was no fool to Catra’s uneasiness and replied “Well, Darling, Scorpia is here too, I’d assume you both would like to stay for dinner, there is enough for everyone.”

This news caught me by surprise. “Oh? Um. Okay, thank you.” Awkwardly replying. Scorpia never called or text her that she was on her way. Or even that she was coming over and Angella could see the look of disappointment in her eyes and tried to play off the situation. “All the girls are downstairs with Micah in the garage, Micah set the old slot car table up and they’re all playing.”

Adora excitedly got up “Dad has the slot cars out?” She tugged on Catra’s arm “You have to see this,” Adora was so happy to show Catra one of her favorite toys from childhood. Other random stuff Catra has seen, but the slot cars were something the whole family was into. 

Catra was not looking forward to this. She only wanted to be around Adora right now, anyone else was not fun for her. _What? Scorpia couldn’t even tell me she was coming over? Am I that unlikable now that you can’t even tell me when we’ll be around each other? Now that we both have girlfriends you aren’t interested in me at all anymore._

Oblivious to Catra’s distress Adora got her to come downstairs into the garage. To add more stress to Catra, everyone was crowded around the same table. They all looked to be having a good time. Glimmer and her dad were now teaming up to beat each other in slot cars. Catra didn’t even really know what slot cars were. They were just some cars on a track thingy and their remote controllers for them. 

Once Micah beat Glimmer in the race he handed his to Mermista and Glimmer handed hers to Perfuma. At this time Scorpia finally turned around to say “hi” to Catra. It was awkward how they lived together and now barely spent time together. 

Catra didn’t bother to pay attention to who was winning. Perfuma handed a controller to Scorpia and in turn, tried to hand it to Catra. The brunette was dreading this. She didn’t know how to play, and she didn’t want to look bad in front of everyone. “No thanks,” Catra softly replied and took a step back. Adora picked up on this and asked, “you don’t want to play?”

Now Perfuma and Mermista were staring at her. She felt her face burn as she shook her head and replied in a hushed tone “I don’t know how to play, no thank you” continuously rejecting the controller from touching her hands. Adora still couldn’t pick up on her mood and just insisted “It’s fun. Play with me”

Scorpia knowing Catra, apparently better than Adora at this moment interrupted “Um, hey, is it cool if I have another turn since Catra doesn’t want to go, Adora?”

Adora just blinked “Oh, sure, yeah,” she said handing her control over to Perfuma. 

Catra was beyond relieved that she didn’t have to play. Silently she mouthed _thank you_ to Scorpia. It was at this moment Catra realized how uncomfortable she was and how badly her mood was starting to shift. With less medication, she knew she was at her daily limit with people. Her body was dependent on her medication that she knew her limit was up for the day. She was around way too many people and her anxiety were getting to a high point. She felt like people were watching her, judging her, and even Adora might be mad at her. She looked over at her girlfriend and saw Adora was just watching the table game. It started to bother Catra that she might not be able to handle dinner with all these people around. She anxiously felt to the living room to think of an excuse to leave early. It only made things more complicated since Scorpia was here, and it would be an obvious lie if she told people she was asked to come home. Even though she was happy Adora didn’t follow her out to the living room, she kind of wondered why Adora hasn’t checked up on her. She peaked back in the garage to see Adora and Glimmer were now playing, and both their parents were recording them on their phones. It was a cute family moment; she caught the gaze of Mermista and just glared at her. _What was she looking at?_ And closed the door again. 

She sat back down on the couch and felt another sense of unease wash over as Angella walked past her. “Are you alright?” the mother asked.

Catra tensed up as she lied “I don’t feel well.” 

Angella came over and placed her hands on Catra’s cheeks “Is it your stomach or your head?” 

The question caught Catra off guard as she answered, “My head hurts.”

Which was not entirely true. The spinning thoughts of paranoia were stressing her out. 

Angella, being the intuitive doctor suggested “Do you want to lay down in Adora’s room?”

I want to get out of having dinner with everyone!

She shook her head and said “No, no thank you. I just want to go back to Cheryl and Mandy’s house.”

Angella gave her a strange look for referring to the house as someone else’s and not just saying home. 

The mother asked, “Would you like me to drive you home?”

Catra feeling uncomfortable just offered “I’ll just walk and then take the bus.”

Not satisfied with the answer, Angella insured her “It’s not a good idea to walk home or bus while sick. I’ll bring you home.” There was no room for discussion As Catra looked down to the floor and nodded. Getting up to get her shoes and jacket from Adora’s room, she felt relieved to leave with a mixture of anger and sadness. _Why couldn’t Adora see that I only came over to spend time with her and not to be around all these other people?_

Angella didn’t make the car ride any less awkward, she kept asking how Catra was feeling and made it embarrassingly awkward when they pulled into the driveway of Mandy and Cheryl’s house and came in and told them that Catra wasn’t feeling well. This prompted the other two adults to check in on Catra as soon as she got downstairs. Desperate for some solitude, Catra assured them she was fine and crawled into bed.

All three adults stood in the kitchen. Cheryl was the most intimidated by Angella’s presence still as to where Mandy was over the hype of having a doctor friend. She looked at Angella more like an average mother than some superior intellectual. Knowing all too well from their encounters that Angella is just as socially awkward as her wife is and was not going to treat all their encounters as business transactions after getting so close due to Catra. 

Cheryl was worried as she told Angella “She says she just wants to sleep” she frowned. 

Mandy turned to Angella and quietly mentioned “She’s been very withdrawn lately, more than usual.”

Angella asked “Does she speak to you both often?” not trying to pry and not trying to act like she was a superior person. When talking about teenagers, it was a rough subject for parents. One-minute teenagers love you then the next they hate you. 

Mandy replied with “Not as much as we would like….. Catra is very sensitive to what she talks about with people, as much as we would love to have her more involved with us, we know if we try too hard with her to be involved, she closes herself off even worse.”

All three of them looked saddened by this as they were aware this was all Sue’s doing. Cheryl asked Angella “In your expert opinion what should we do?”

This was almost the equivalent of a musical melody to Angella to be called an expert and to be asked what she would do. The old her would make a lecture on the importance of speaking to teenagers and setting ground rules was something Angella was all about, as a very demanding parent she wanted to know everything going on in her daughter's lives and for that she paid the price of having them grow distant to her. Especially Adora, who was her _baby_. 

She answered with honesty and said “I wish I had something useful to contribute. When I try to get too involved with my daughter’s lives, they have shut me out. I don’t know when or why it happens, but all the joy a child has gets sucked out of them in their teenage years”?

Mandy chuckled at that “Oh, we know that. Scorpia avoids us now, we’re just super worried for Catra because we know she has tendencies to be very self-destructive,”

“Same as my Adora” Angella added.

Cheryl clapped her hands together “Oh! Maybe Adora knows and she’ll tell you.”

Angella averted her eyes away “Umm, well as much as I would love for Adora to tell me everything, I think she won’t…. you know…..teenagers” she shrugged. 

Cheryl frowned at this. It was disheartening for Angella to see how worried they were for Catra. It made sense to worry, this was a child raised by a hurtful and cruel woman. The effects she had on Adora were long-lasting and required therapy and counseling.

Once Angella left, the two went down to check on Catra; who was now sleeping. If she was sick, then this was proof of that. Little did they know that two-weeks without medication was making tired all the time now. 

As Catra slept she missed all of Adora’s texts to her. 

**Text messages:**

**Adora:(4:44pm) Hey why did you leave without saying goodbye?**

**Adora:(4:51pm) My mom said you weren’t feeling good. Are you feeling any better?**

**Adora:( 5:30pm) Missed you at dinner. I guess your sleeping, so I’ll talk to you later.**

Waking up around eight and saw all her missed texts. She felt bad but didn’t think of any way to reply. She knew Adora was probably doing stuff with her family and didn’t want to bother her hours later. She hated herself for feeling jealous of her, Adora was sweet and kind and so pretty and had everything! Literally—anything that girl wants, she’ll get it! Adora came from loving adoptive parents who probably spoiled her more due to being adopted, friends that adore her, schoolteachers and classmates love her, and she was lucky to just have some time around her. It made her scared and paranoid to think _. Adora is happier and she isn’t mad at her family anymore, so she won’t need me like before……_

She didn’t know Adora was home while Mermista and almost everyone else was out at the mall before it closes. Sitting in her room she felt left out of the fun. She could have gone, but still felt awkward with Mermista. Even after slot cars, she still didn’t want to get too close again, and Glimmer had no patience for it. She wasn’t being mean about it, but if Adora was being stubborn she knew it was not worth the fight to make Adora hang out with them. 

This was Angella’s chance to try and see if Adora was still shut off from her, or if she wanted to talk. She wanted she knock on Adora’s door and ask her about Catra. As much as she wanted to, she knows how badly this can turn out if Adora was not willing to talk to her. Without trying, she gave up and went back to her room with Micah, who was worried for Adora and Mermista. 

He sat on their bed as she sat down at her vanity to remove her make up for the night and he informed her “I was in the kitchen when I heard her conversation about wanting to see if Perfuma can let her crash at her dorm so she doesn’t need to be here with Adora….. I guess they had a somewhat okay conversation last night, but it’s still too awkward for her”

Angella felt another defeat. 

Micha then added, “Conveniently leaving out stuff for s’mores was genius, honey, but it wasn’t enough for them.”

Busted! She promised to not get involved. Turning around to flash him a sheepish smile before turning back to pull her hair back into a ponytail. Her husband made his way over to her and teased “Can you conveniently bring your booty over to this bed?” She chuckled and sat up to go with him to the bed. 

While the two of them were off doing things that Adora was grateful to not be able to hear when Perfuma text her. 

Perfuma (9:30pm): It was fun to finally hang out with you, it’s been far too long! Let's have a double soon! We can go to a movie and get some pizza, maybe even bowling? How does that sound?

Adora nervously looked down at her phone before texting. She wondered what would make her want to double date. Without consulting Catra she replied.

Adora (9:33pm): Sure.


	3. Date gone bad

Date stuff….

Double date stuff…….

Never been on a double date……….

Never done a couple of stuff with another couple……….

Not even openly out with everyone I know personally………………………..

Not that it is any person business who and why I date anyone but……………………………..

Fuck…………….

Catra kept pacing around in her room thinking of something to wear. Her only night off to relax and do homework is now going to be used to play nice and go on a date with Adora and Perfuma and Scorpia. It made her uneasy. Scorpia and her and not nearly as close as they once were, and she doesn’t know Perfuma well at all. Trying to be cool and impress Adora was bad enough on its own, now that she has to keep her cool in front of other people it made things a lot harder. Scorpia was not judgmental towards her, but Perfuma might be. She’s only been around the girl a few times, and Perfuma trying to be a prissy goody-good once chastised Catra at a college party about selling alcohol, and why it’s dangerous for her. Even though Perfuma was right, Catra didn’t care to hear it. Perfuma didn’t know Catra’s past situation to judge her. She didn’t know Catra stole a bunch of grates of booze from her former guardian and was selling it at an upcharge to make enough money to get by. Not everyone has parents that can support and love them. 

It made her angry to think about people judging her. IT was bad enough people at school got on her nerves and asked her personal questions all the time, she made it a point to be as limited on personal information as she could with people. No one needed to know she was an orphan.

She kept pacing around her room and looked at her wardrobe to see what kind of outfit she could wear. She wanted to dress to slightly impress. The plan was bowling, so it needed to functional and cute at the same time. 

She settled on raspberry-colored leggings and a black crop top. She felt it made her look sexy and she’s never worn a crop top in front of Adora before she hoped it would look cool. She wanted to keep Adora’s interests, and it made her paranoid to no end that Adora could leave her the second she gets more social again. 

A thought like that was the farthest thing from Adora’s mind, as the blonde was worried about an outfit and looking cute and mature in front of Perfuma. She knew Mermista and her were close and she might tell her if Adora was being awkward in front of Catra or them. She wanted to be cool and keep her calm every way she could. She needed a cute outfit and maybe even some makeup. She blushes so easily, that makeup might hide the blush better and her nervousness wouldn’t show as much. She wanted Catra to find her extra pretty for her tonight and couldn’t find a cute outfit to wear. All her clothes outside of school were sporty and not date clothes and her church clothes were too formal. She didn’t need to wear a dress to go bowling, but she didn’t want to just wear leggings and a hoodie to go out on this date either. She felt embarrassed to not know what to wear. She was relieved to know Glimmer was not home, and her mother was probably downstairs or something. She poked into Glimmer’s closest and was annoyed to find out that she took all her cute clothes to school with her. In a daring moment, she chose to enter her parent’s bedroom to look in her mom’s closet to see what she might try to borrow for the night. It made her feel uneasy to do something so sneaky. Glimmer did it all the time, but Adora would never dare be as bold as Glimmer for this. She looked around the room and slowly walked over to the closet and instantly decided to make a heel turn out of the room. _No! no, no, no, this is wrong! I can’t go through my mom’s stuff!_

Walking back to her room she regretted not looking and seeing what cute outfit she could of worn. Peaking over the chair rail she wondered how her mother would react if she asked for an outfit or help with makeup. She might just give her the whole mom speech on looks aren’t everything crap.

Heading downstairs she saw her mother and father in the kitchen and gulped. She didn’t want to ask about this in front of her dad. She didn’t like being so meek about this and exhaled before entering the kitchen. Nervously walking over she cleared her throat a little and almost whispered “Um? Mom?”

Angella turned and gave her full attention, as did Micah. 

Her mother reached for Adora and worriedly asked “Is everything okay?” Holding Adora’s cheeks in her hands. Adora glanced over to her father that equally worried and just asked “Can I ask you something in private?”

Angella agreed and walked out with Adora, leaving Micah looking worried. Her mother held on to her as she asked, “Sweetie is everything, okay?”

Adora pulled away and whined, “Mom nothing is wrong, I just need your help.”

Angella replied, “Ok, but with what?”

Adora sighed and looked at her mother with a serious expression “I need your help. I’m going on a double date tonight, and I don’t have any cute clothes to wear, and Glimmer took all her cute clothes to school, and I have no idea what to wear, how to style my hair or any makeup stuff.” She looked down and poked her index fingers together “C-could you help me?”

Angella’s face lit up at this. Mother-daughter bonding! Makeup! Makeovers! Picking out her clothes! For a date! This was what Angella lived for!

She grabbed Adora’s shoulder “Yes sweetheart! I will help!”

Adora now felt scared as her mother’s calm composure flipped into pure excitement. Adora gulped at whatever Angella had in plan for her. Her mother clutched her arm and brought her upstairs to her bedroom. Sitting Adora down at her vanity. Adora felt odd sitting in her mother’s usual morning seat. Ever since Adora was a little girl, she would often watch her mother put on makeup at her vanity. Adora looked down at all her mother’s makeup brushes and foundations. Makeup was never a thing she got into. As a younger teen, Adora struggled with acne and Angella took her to get facials to get them under control. She never had an interest in her. She knew her sister loved it, in fact, Glimmer once used some of her mom’s makeup and got in trouble for it. Angella saw Adora’s eye fixate on all the different types of cosmetics and she smiled at her. Thinking to herself that her little girl was now getting an interest in more womanly things and was stepping out of her tomboy ways. Adora was her athletic daughter. She liked going to the gym, riding her bike, and sports over everything and was never into fashion or _girly things_ aside from My Little Pony and Sailor Moon she didn’t ever show any other interest than that. Catra being so heavily into makeup and fashion must have made an influence on Adora and all the motherly interrogations she would usually ask are now something she wouldn’t dare say. She didn’t want Adora growing distant from her. She had to choose her questions carefully to not offend Adora. She started with “So, where will the date be?”

Adora looked down and fidgeted with her hands while answered: “We’re going out bowling with Perfuma and Scorpia, and then a movie…..”

Adora was shy about the idea of telling her mom all this information. Angella didn’t tease and just turned back to her closet and suggested “Perhaps wear something warm for the movie theater, an outfit that has a matching sweatshirt”

Adora chimed in “I want to wear something pretty, you know because it’s a date and stuff”

Angella wasn’t going to question the _and stuff_ part and showed Adora a top with a matching open front sweatshirt and asked “How about this one? It’s casual and stylish”

Adora frowned and asked “I want something more date-like”

Angella narrowed her eyes and questioned, “Describe date-like?”

Adora rubbed the back of her head and explained “Well…. Something that shows a little more skin, and maybe something prettier….” Unsure of how to ask her mom about dating attire, the honest and blunt description came to mind and she asked “You know… like something sexy”

Angella's mind went to a halt at hearing Adora say the words sexy. Judging by Angella’s lack of fast response, Adora feared she had upset her mother and sat up and tried to exit but Angella stopped her. Her voice slightly cracking as she responded “Okay, um, w-we’ll find you a more—date-like—outfit” and looked back in her closet. _If this is the worst thing Adora can say tonight, then I am okay with that._

Rummaging through her clothes she tried to think of something a younger lady would wear that was date-appropriate and functional. She pulled out a frilly top that had a V-neckline for a bit of cleavage to show. Adora’s expression brightened when she saw it “That one is pretty.”

Angella offered it to her and Adora tried it on in front of her mother, taking off her shirt and placing it on, Angella raised a brow at the additional attention it drew to her chest and frowned as she explained “Sweetie, that might not be the best top to wear bowling, Catra might see your bra when you bend over for a ball.”

Adora shrugged and looked in the mirror “I’m okay with my girlfriend looks.”

Angella wanted to drop dead right then and there. The urge to scold was rising and she knew to not say a word. She patted Adora on the shoulders and reminded Adora “You’re a very pretty girl, don’t you think boys will be trying to peak down your shirt as well?” 

Adora looked down and pondered for a second “Good point” she answered her mom.

Angella turned back to her closet and looked for a top with less cleavage and to relief found one that would work perfectly. Something simple and plain. A nice white top that tied at the bottom. Making it a cute long sleeve top to show off a bit of midriff but could easily be covered with a tank top. 

Adora chipperly responded “Oh, cute, a crop top”

Angella deadpanned and informed her “No. This is not going to be a crop top for you, it shows a little bit of midriff, and your hot tying it higher to make it into a crop top”

Adora pouted but agreed and tried it on. 

Angella later helped her with her hair, having it half and curly it a little. She also applied a little bit of makeup to Adora’s eyes and cheeks. Adora looked over at some lip gloss and lipstick and asked “Should I wear lipstick?”

Angella shook her head “It smudges too much”

Adora pouted again and Angella nudged her “Unless you want to leave Catra’s face covered in kissy marks, then go ahead”

Adora’s cheeks went crimson at the gesture and Angella continued “She’s left a few on you from time to time”

Adora’s eyes went wide as she looked at her mother with sheepishness. Her mother smirked and told her “Lip gloss would be the better preference; it will smudge less.”

She applied some more makeup to her cheeks and heard Micah whimperer from the doorway “My little girl is wearing makeup now.”

Angella with a blending sponge in hand turned to her husband and smiled while Adora whined “Dad!”

Adora looked down in embarrassment as Angella lifted her chin and smiled at her “You look so beautiful, sweetheart.”

The two shared a smile before heading downstairs. 

Micah couldn’t help but loudly cry “AAAWWW, my baby girl looks so grown up!”

Adora rolled her eyes and walked past him, but not before he forced a hug on her “Have a good time, princess.”

She left them and drove off to the bowling alley. Micah grinned as he presented Angella his phone “I got the pic!”

Angella smiled at him and replied, “I always wanted to that this with my girls, makeovers are such a fun thing to do.”

Micah smiled at her enthusiasm. “I’m happy you got to spend time with her, Angie.”

Even though he was jealous he didn’t get to spend any time with her anymore. With Glimmer in college and Adora growing more distant from them. Something these two parents were not prepared for. In their working lives the small amount of time they have with their daughters is treasured but now lost to them, as their girls became adults. They didn’t like how fast they grew up but loved them too much to ask them to stop partaking in their social lives for them. 

Adora had all the confidence in the world right now, while Catra on the other hand had doubts about how tonight was going to go. Seeming how relaxed Scorpia was as she drove made Catra feel small compared to her. She felt weak and childish to fear going on a double date, she couldn’t help but feel angry that Scorpia showed no signs of caring. Scorpia would be the one to do something clumsy or embarrassing, not Catra! and yet, all Catra could think about is doing or something stupid in front of everyone. It wasn’t a fun feeling, being cool to Adora was not a big deal to her but being cool around others was. She knew others would judge her if she slipped up and she hated people for that.

Scorpia knew Catra was anxious and knew not to say anything to her. The Latina was fiery and more vulgar when distressed. In situations like this, she knew to keep her mouth shut and pretend she saw nothing wrong for the sake of Catra’s pride. 

Arriving at the bowling alley, Adora was standing in the front in the cold. Too nervous to just wait inside by herself. Both girls walked over to her. 

“Hey, Adora” Catra greeted her.

Adora stuttered “H-hey—” in an awkward pause she thought of what to reply with. Babe? Honey? Sweetie? Catra? instead of anything of those responses she called her by her real first name. “Carlotta?” and it came out more like a question than a greeting. A flush of discomfort crept up on both their faces as Scorpia internally cringed at this interaction and visually just smiled as if she was blissfully unaware of what she just witness. _Oh, God! Adora is so Awkward!_ She thought to herself, finding it hard to believe this was the same person she has gone to school with for years. Interaction on this intimate of a level made her think differently of Adora. As Adora was somewhat popular, smart, funny, good at sports, and pretty, most people wanted to be her friend, and seeing her in this light still compelled her to impress her—not as much as she thought she had to five minutes ago….but enough to still show Adora how cool she was. 

Perfume thankfully saved the awkward moment by greeted all three of them and planting a small peck on Scorpia’s lips and just the sight of seeing Scorpia getting kissed by a girl flipped all of Catra’s embarrassment into insecurity watching a couple act normal. She never figured Scorpia to be so cool and calm in a relationship. When she had a crush on Catra she was obvious in her pining and easy to fluster and trip up. Now, Scorpia was with someone that doesn’t make her tongue-tied and nervous, while Catra was overheard contemplating kissing Adora in front of them. She turned back to Adora and leaned in for a kiss. In any other situation Adora would have eagerly kissed her back, but not to smear her lip gloss too early in the night, she pulled back and with little thought to how Catra would feel about this said openly “I don’t want to smudge my lip gloss yet” 

Needless to say, Catra’s jaw dropped in shock and pure embarrassment as the other two girls saw and heard exactly what Adora had just said to her. Perfuma attempted to run damage control by informing everyone to go in for some bowling. 

Catra just wanted to leave. They’ve never had to act like a couple in front of people, and when face to face with PDA, Adora dismissed it. She could have shoved her off and it would have made the same impact in Catra’s mind it felt as if Adora was ashamed of her or worse, not interested in her as romantically as she thought. 

Heading over to the bowling lane and having to wear shoes that didn’t match her outfit didn’t make her feel any better. The game was just as expected. Neither of them was all that good but this helped Catra unleash her frustration out on the bowling balls and pins over yelling at anyone. 

Adora smiled at her “Wow, you're good at this” 

Catra didn’t bother to reply and just let another ball go as it landed her a strike and Adora lightly cheered for her. Still not able to let the incident from earlier go, she stepped back for Adora’s turn and made the cold jab of “don’t smudge your lip gloss”

Oblivious to the jab Adora replied “I won't” not knowing how rude she came off as. 

Catra sat with her arms crossed. This bowling alley was colder than she had prepared for. Adora still had her sweatshirt on as she bowled and Scorpia looked over and saw Catra’s discomfort and offered her “Wanna wear my jacket?”

Catra nodded and took the black jacket from Scorpia, feeling even lower than she did before. The whole night she couldn’t get over it. Bowling, eating nachos, or even at the movie she couldn’t stop feeling angry and Adora never questioned it. 

Towards the end of the date when they were all saying goodbye, Adora leaned in for a kiss Catra turned away and headed back to Scorpia’s car without saying goodbye to anyone. 

Adora looked confused as Catra stormed off and waited in the car she came in, leaving Scorpia alone to awkwardly say goodbye to Adora on her own. The car ride wasn’t any better. Catra just sat with her arms crossed the entire drive back home and any attempt to make small talk was cut short by short answers. Catra was desperately trying to keep it cool. She was angry and embarrassed by Adora and had no idea how to figure it out. She didn’t want to admit anything incriminating to Scorpia, or for Scorpia to pity her and feel sorry about what Adora said earlier. When they arrived home Catra turned to Scorpia in a panic and pleaded with her “Please don’t tell your moms’ about tonight”

Scorpia raised a brow “Um, I already told them we went bowling, Catra.”

The brunette clarified “Don’t tell your moms about me and Adora.”

Scorpia turned to glare at her and ask, “Why would I tell them anything?” offended at the accusation of Scorpia to be a gossip and Catra clarified “I don’t care what you say, just don’t say anything about Adora” She snapped. Regretting it instantly. Instead of saying sorry, Catra’s bad behavior habits became unhinged. She wanted Scorpia to say something else, so she could play off Scorpia’s insecurities and hurt her. Scorpia, being fully aware of Catra’s antics, tried not to play into them and tried to keep on track to where Catra’s real source of anger was from “I wouldn’t bring up that Adora didn’t want to kiss you, that would be mean,”

Catra’s mind went into a pure rage at the thought of Scorpia feeling bad for her embarrassing situation. It hurt her that Adora said what she said, and it was embarrassing that she did it in front of people. Catra scoffed “Oh, trust me, don’t worry about being mean to me—” she paused for a second to say, how to be hurtful, and what to do to get under Scorpia’s skin “If anyone is mean, it’s Perfuma, a chick you went to school with for, what? Middle school? High school? And she never once showed any interest in you until she was conveniently out of high school?”

Perfuma was a sensitive and special topic for Scorpia as her first girlfriend and the first person she brought home as a date to her parents. To make an implication that her relationship had negative undertones was beyond a low blow. Her mouth dropped as the pained expression took over Scorpia’s face at that remark. Catra proceeded to be hurtful “Adora might not have kissed me in front of you guys tonight, but at least my girlfriend didn’t ask me out purposely after school was over, so she wouldn’t be seen dating you in front of her little clique of fake ass friends!”

Catra’s smug feeling of satisfaction instantly crumbled the second she saw the look on Scorpia’s reaction was not what she prepared for. She watched as Scorpia looked like she was about to cry. Her lip quivered as she replied “Y-you know what?” the tears started to flow down her cheek and left a small streak of mascara running down “I—I always, try and think you’re a good friend, I _ALWAYS_ try and think you’ll stop acting the way you d-do sometimes and you’ll stop being mean,” she angrily kept her eyes on Catra so she could see the damage her words had done as Catra saw the tears continue to roll down her face “But you won’t!” Scorpia cried, she turned away to cover her face with her hands and sobbed “you’re a bad friend! You’ve always been a bad friend!” she cried. Her sobbing was uncontrollable and Catra tried to comfort her by patting her shoulder “Scorpia? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that” she tried to fix her mistake. Scorpia swatted her hand away and turned to yell at her “You were the person who made me feel pretty! And valued and that I shouldn’t put up with anyone giving me shit! Y-you were the person who gave me my confidence and made me feel like I can be loved by someone! And with less than two fucking sentences you took that all back!”

Catra felt a wave of painful realization come over her. She went way too far with Scorpia this time and this won’t be like the other times she’s been mean before. This time it crossed a line that Scorpia cant forgive and Catra knew this was it for her. Scorpia unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car in a fit of rage. Leaving Catra all alone to her thoughts to feel guilty. Cheryl and Mandy weren’t downstairs to see Scorpia come in upset and that still worried Catra. If Scorpia tells them, they can kick her out and make her leave. If that happens, what will she do?

In Catra’s new distress, Perfuma was one to see the cracks in the other couple's relationship. Knowing Adora for the years that Catra was absent made Perfuma more alert to some of Adora’s poor social ques. Adora was always oblivious to things to not say. Her brutal honestly could have gotten her in trouble many times, but thankfully under the watch of her close friends, some of the most hurtful or mean things Adora might have innocently said in a conversation were always stopped or censored to not get Adora in hot water. With all three of Adora’s friends out of her life, Adora was left to her own words and now the consequences of her actions that she seems to be unaware of. Socially Adora failed to see why saying something like “I don’t want to smudge my lip gloss” to a girlfriend in front of friends might be rude and hurtful. She felt bad for Catra in this situation, all she wanted to do was kiss her girlfriend and Adora shot her down and never apologized all night. Catra didn’t deserve to be embarrassed and it bothered her all night. Even though Adora was weird with her now, and hardly even spoke to Perfuma, the older friend needed to let this concern be known. She sent a text to Glimmer, who was at home. 

Perfuma (10:40pm): Just finished my double date with your sister and – Oh boy! We need to help your sister with her dating education.

Glimmer (10:42pm): Oh God! She just came home, said the date was fine except that she thinks Catra wasn’t feeling well. 

Perfuma (10:42pm): Catra was in a bad mood because your sister embarrassed her at the beginning of the date and she never got over it. Adora doesn’t get what she did wrong.

Glimmer (10:43pm): What did she do?

Perfuma (10:43pm): Catra tried to kiss her and your sister backed away and told her she didn’t want to ruin her makeup. 

Glimmer (10:43pm): No way!? Seriously?

Perfuma (10:44pm): Yes! And it was so awkward after that. You need to give this girl dating advice.

Glimmer (10:44pm): On it!

Glimmer sighed as she made her way over to her nightstand. Looking at a picture from Adora and she played soccer in middle school. It was around this time Glimmer started to notice boys more while Adora showed no interest. Looking at the photo of a sweaty blonde with bangs and some chin acne made her think of all the missed signs of Adora’s sexuality. Even the thought of her being gay didn’t cross her mind until she was sixteen. Adora came off almost prudish and was massively shy in the locker room. It makes sense why she is so bad at dating and all she and Catra do is so childish. The thought of anything romantic made the blonde run away like a blushing schoolgirl, she would do everything in her power to avoid watching and kissing scenes in a movie. 

Being the sister she was, she knew she had to give her advice. Especially knowing that Adora couldn’t pick up social hints that were going to be a bigger problem for her love life. 

Glimmer walked out into the hallway and to Adora’s bedroom. Opening the door she saw Adora on her bed watching TV. The show—The Last Airbender. Her older sister held back a sigh of disappointment seeing Adora watching cartoons like a little kid. She interrupted what she was watching to ask her “Hey, Adora, did anything else happen on your date?”

Adora crossed her arms and defensively asked “Why do want to know? What did Perfuma tell you?”

Glimmer sat down and tried to calm her “Nothing much. Just that….. you might of upset your girlfriend early in your date”

Adora shrugged and uncrossed her arms “I don’t know what I did wrong. All I said was I didn’t want to smudge my lip gloss. I wanted to keep looking cute for the date. I didn’t bring any makeup with me”

Glimmer frowned “You should of lead with that. Or at least said sorry. I think you might have made her feel bad by not kissing her” 

Adora turned to her side on the bed and sighed “I guess that’s why she hasn’t called me back yet” she pouted. 

Glimmer scooted closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I know you didn’t mean to upset her, but you do….” She wanted to say her autism made her lack some social concepts, but she knew that would upset Adora and as much as she wanted to protect her sister’s feelings, the blonde already knew what Glimmer was getting at and she knew she was right. “Glimmer! I know it’s because of my autism” she said while taking a pillow to her face and groaning. Glimmer tried to console her and told her “Hey, it’s going to be fine. If you need any dating advice on stuff, I can help you.”

Adora took the pillow off her face and asked “How?”

Glimmer felt proud as she answered “I know tons of ways to flirt and make small talk. I can give you some date pointers.”

Adora sat up “Really?” 

Glimmer nodded “Definitely after you apologize to Catra, I’ll start giving you some pointers,” she said putting her hands on her sister’s shoulders.

Adora smiled warmly “Thanks Glimmer,”

“Anytime,” the older said patting her shoulders before getting off the bed. 

Adora quickly grabbed her and asked “I do have a question right now if you can help me”

Glimmer sat back down “Sure, what is it?”

Adora bit her lip nervously and averted her eyes “Um, w-when you k-kiss someone, d-do you always… y’know?” Adora started making random gestures to her chest and pajama pants. 

Glimmer raised a brow “What? I don’t get it.”

Adora turned red as she leaned in to whisper her embarrassing question. “Is it normal to get _wet_ all the time when kissing?” her entire face almost bright red as she leaned back and looked away in shame for asking her sister such a private question. 

Glimmer saw her sister’s discomfort and assured “Yeah, Adora it’s normal” she looked at her embarrassed younger sister and promised her “It’s natural, just fight the urge to straddle her until you get off first base, okay?”

Adora nodded and mumbled “Kind of hard to, but okay”

The two girls chuckled.

As Glimmer left the bedroom and walked down the hall, she caught of glance of her mother quickly returning to her bedroom and smirked at this. _Oh, you were eavesdropping._ Knowing her mom hated not being in the loop of everything going on. Surprisingly their mother had changed in these past few weeks. A lot of her controlling nature has been subdued out of fear that it will keep her daughters distant. In a situation like Adora, she feels that she should still be involved. It pained her to say it, but her mom has been right all along. Adora does need guidance and as a sister, she wants to help, but she didn’t want to give her bad advice or have her in a situation that wasn’t ideal for her. 

Adora sent Catra a final text of the night apologizing for what she said and if she embarrassed her. She knew she wasn’t going to get a response. She assumed Catra was sleeping. In actuality, Catra was freaking out. The Latina paced around her room and tried to see how she could run damage control on what she said to Scorpia in the car. Sorry wasn’t enough. All Scorpia had to do was tell someone—anyone! About what she said to her and Catra was back on the streets. She feared hovering over Scorpia might trigger her to tell her parents. Avoiding her might be the best thing to do for now. She was still scared. Her mouth just ruined her best friend, the best friendship she ever had and she couldn’t tell anyone because she was so ashamed of her words. Without insurance, she couldn’t go to Casta and tell her about what she did. All she knew was she was beyond screwed from this point out.


End file.
